Book Review | The Master of Misrule by Laura Powell

Note: This review contains spoilers for the first book in the series. Please see my non-spoiler review of The Game of Triumphs HERE.

The Master of Misrule (The Game of Triumphs, #2) by Laura Powell
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers on June 12, 2012
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
Pages: 384
Format: Hard Cover
Source: Purchased
Goodreads: ★★★★★

When Cat and her friends put an end to the sinister Game of Triumphs, they thought they could simply collect their prizes and walk away. But they unwittingly created a monster. Before the dust has settled, the self-proclaimed Master of Misrule is engineering a sadistic lottery that will unleash the power of the Game onto an unsuspecting London. Misrule's agenda of chaos threatens life as they know it, gambling away free will for fickle fortune. And his power has quickly grown to proportions they never could have imagined. It all comes down to one final play. Cat, Flora, Blaine, and Toby must go back into the Arcanum and take fate into their own hands. This time they have everything to lose.

This spine-tingling follow-up to Powell's The Game of Triumphs is everything you could hope for in a sequel and more! It's every bit as thrilling and complex as the first book, with higher stakes and even a hint of romance added to the mix. 

REVIEW

I was extremely excited to pick up The Master of Misrule after finishing The Game of Triumphs. The cliffhanger was killing me, and I needed to see where the characters would end up. I was surprised that The Master of Misrule picked up right where the first book left off, with no gap whatsoever in the story. While I was reading the books back-to-back, this second book includes a quick recap of the first book at the beginning if you need a refresher. I found that really helpful! 

The Master of Misrule is thus a direct continuation of The Game of Triumphs, but with an added twist. Unlike the first book, where readers only followed Cat, we now get to learn more about her friends Toby, Flora, and Blaine as they work to get the game back under control after setting the Master of Misrule loose. I really liked getting to know the other characters, and I think Powell did an excellent job with character development. When I learned more about what the other characters had at stake, I was more invested in the story. 

I also found that Powell's writing really matured in The Master of Misrule. The book flowed quite easily, the chapters were a good length, and I kept turning the pages to find out where the game would go next. As with the first book, I found that the story was difficult to predict, but each twist and turn in the plot was logical and believable. I especially loved how each character's story wrapped up at the end.

All in all, I really enjoyed the Game of Triumphs duology. I would love to see this repackaged as a bind-up of the two volumes, as one can't read the first book without continuing on, and because they take place without any lapse in time between the two. The story is imaginative, the characters are complex, and the ending is incredible. I highly recommend this series to anyone looking for a good young adult fantasy, especially those who are fans of the movie Jumanji. Trust me. 

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Book Review | The Game of Triumphs by Laura Powell

The Game of Triumphs (The Game of Triumphs, #1) by Laura Powell
Published by Ember on March 9, 2011
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
Pages: 288
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Goodreads: ★★★★

At an exclusive Soho party one rainy night, Cat stumbles into an ancient and dangerous game of fortune. A mysterious quartet of game masters deal out challenges—moves that unfold in the Arcanum, a dream-scape version of our world. Success can earn players fame, fortune, inspiration. Failure can be deadly.

At first Cat is skeptical, but undeniably curious. And when a journey into the Arcanum reveals a shocking glimpse of her family's past, Cat begins to understand what drives people to play. Sometimes it's greed or longing—other times desperation. She must know more. 

Right now, the game masters hold all the cards. But Cat finds others like herself on the fringes of the game. And together an unlikely group of chancers hope to change the rules in their favor.

In the Game of Triumphs, the risks are high, but the rewards may just be worth dying for. . . .

 REVIEW

I've been looking forward to reading The Game of Triumphs ever since I picked up the duology this past summer. I stumbled upon the second book, The Master of Misrule, at The Strand for $2, and decided to snag it. It was only once I got home and added The Master of Misrule to my Goodreads that I discovered it was a series! Luckily I was able to get a discount copy of The Game of Triumphs on Book Outlet, and the series has been sitting on my TBR shelf since then.

The Game of Triumphs is an urban fantasy that craftily incorporates Tarot cards into the plot. Main character Cat accidentally becomes part of a mysterious game after coming into contact with some players on the streets of London. Cat is invited to Temple House, the headquarters of the Game of Triumphs, and while she doesn't want to get involved, she is too curious to refuse the invitation. What she thought was just a simple role-playing game for the geeks of SoHo turns out to be something a bit more. Cat ends up diving headfirst into the Game, and discovers the new world of the Arcanum. 

I really enjoyed The Game of Triumphs. I never knew what was going to happen next, but the story flowed quite logically. Cat meets a great cast of characters on her journey, and I thought Powell added them in really well. As with any fantasy story, world building is an essential element. While I was a bit confused at the beginning of the book, I began to understand the way the Game functions, and learned along with Cat. Thus, I found the pacing and intrigue very well done. I was inclined to keep reading, and was never bored. 

I decided to give The Game of Triumphs a four star rating for two reasons. First, this book is definitely on the younger end of young adult, and at times I found the writing a bit cliché. This was mainly an issue in the dialogue, and because the characters are teenagers I didn't find this too annoying. Second, the book ended with a major cliffhanger. This is, of course, the first in a series, but Cat had a main goal throughout the entirety of The Game of Triumphs that was left incomplete at the book's end. In this way, it becomes absolutely necessary to continue on with the series, because this first book is just an introduction to the world and the characters. I would have preferred a conclusion of Cat's current mission before continuing on into the next book. However, I can definitely understand that Powell wants readers to continue on with the series to find out what happens.

All in all, I definitely recommend The Game of Triumphs for fans of young adult fantasy. I've never come across a story like this before, and found the incorporation of Tarot cards into the plot a lot of fun. I will be continuing on with the series, and will have a review up for the second book as soon as I've completed it! 

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Book Review | The Book of Ivy by Amy Engel

It's no secret at this point that I love young adult dystopian novels, so I was extremely excited when Entangled Teen contacted me and asked if I would review The Book of Ivy by Amy Engel. Despite my busy schedule, I agreed to review the book in time for the release. I'm so glad I accepted the offer!

The Book of Ivy is told through sixteen-year-old Ivy's point of view. As the story begins, Ivy is about to get married. But this wedding is unlike the ones we know today. Ivy's marriage, like nearly all marriages in her world, are arranged. She's destined to marry the president's son, as their families have been at odds with one another for two generations, and their union is a symbol of the president's power over the town her grandfather established. While many girls her age are excited for a life with their new husbands, Ivy is petrified. Not only will she be forced into intimacy with husband Bishop, but she's also been set the task of killing him.

Readers follow Ivy as her marriage begins, and as she gets to know Bishop. As it turns out, he may not be the evil monster her family told her he would be, and things may not go according to plan.

It's not often that I race through a book, but I read The Book of Ivy in just two sittings. It is fast-paced, easy-to-read, and quite compelling. It did not have a "typical dystopian" feel, and there was nothing cliche in the plot. I was really surprised with how unique the story was. In fact, despite the arranged marriages, the world Ivy lives in isn't too bad.

I also really loved the character development in this book. I never knew who could be trusted, and who was the real enemy. Ivy also struggled with this, and with the book told in her voice, it made for a mysterious read. Of course, the ending was fabulous! I cannot wait for the second book in the series to be released so I can find out how Ivy's story continues.

I gave The Book of Ivy a full 5 star rating on Goodreads, and highly recommend it. If you love dysoptians, this is a must read, but I also think that contemporary lovers will enjoy this book as well. The Book of Ivy hits bookstores today, and can be purchased on Amazon HERE. Let me know in the comments if you've read this book, and your thoughts!

This book was provided for my unbiased review. I use Amazon Affiliate links so you can find the books I mention easily. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Book Review | Winger by Andrew Smith

Today's book review is brought to you because of book hype. That's right, I picked up Winger by Andrew Smith purely because of the repeated praise I heard from fellow book lovers. Whether or not that was a good choice will be revealed through this review.

Winger is the story of Ryan Dean West. He's a fourteen-year-old junior in high school, and attends a boarding school where he is two years younger than his classmates. The story is told from Ryan's first-person-perspective, and he tells readers that he ended up in the dormitory for all of the trouble makers because he stole a teacher's cell phone the previous school year.

Ryan Dean is extremely nervous about this new living status. He quickly finds himself in some pretty risky situations, and deals with serious peer pressure from his new bunkmates. As the story continues, readers follow Ryan Dean along his high school journey as he figures out who his friends are. Of course, there is also a love story along the way.

Unfortunately for me, I knew in advance that there was a "big, emotional plot twist" at the end of the novel. Thus, while I was reading Winger, I was looking for hints along the way. It became clear to me quite early in the book what was going to happen at the end, and once I reached that point in the story I was left completely underwhelmed. The ending was thus predictable for me, and that left me with a sour taste in my mouth.

I also strongly disliked Ryan Dean. Many people love him as a character, but I found him extremely annoying and immature. Yes, he does face some bullying and peer pressure, but that is no excuse. Ryan Dean makes all of the wrong decisions in this book, and I couldn't respect him even though he is a young teen who is bound to make poor choices. In addition, I could have done without all of the drawings in the book. I feel like they distracted me from the novel instead of being a helpful addition.

When rating Winger on Goodreads I tried to take into account the fact that the book hype did affect my reading experience. I gave the book a four out of five star rating, because the writing is good and I think if I wasn't anticipating a twist of an ending, I would have enjoyed the read much more. Winger is the first book in a new, young adult contemporary series, so I'm going to reread the book when the sequel is released and give it another chance. I'm hoping in hindsight I'll like the story, and Ryan Dean, much better.

If you've been wondering about Winger, here's my advice: read it with an open mind. Don't look for clues along the way, but enjoy the story in the moment. If you're expecting a shock, you'll most likely be let down as I was. However, Winger is a solid contemporary read, and still deserves a chance. You can purchase Winger on Amazon HERE. The second book in the series Stand-Off is due to be released this January. Please let me know your thoughts on Winger in the comments!

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